My “First 100 Days”
It’s now been over three months since I arrived in the UK and at Bevis Marks Synagogue. As you might expect, it’s taken some time to adjust to my new […]
Category Archives: Musings
Things I Think About That You Might Find Interesting
Rosh Hashanah – Britain, Bevis and the Blitz
This Rosh Hashanah British Jews will simultaneously celebrate a new year while they recall the horrors and heroics of the Blitz. September 15, 2015 is both the 75th anniversary of […]
I Am Moving To London!
I’m thrilled to share with you that I’ve accepted an offer to become the rabbi of Bevis Marks Synagogue in London. Bevis Marks is the oldest synagogue in the UK, […]
A Jewish Eulogy for Spock
The recent passing of Leonard Nimoy z’l occurred at a fitting time in the Jewish calendar. Nimoy played the iconic character Spock in the hit series Star Trek, the most […]
Geopolitics and the ‘Spanish & Portuguese’ Diaspora
My understanding of the ‘Spanish and Portuguese’ Jewish diaspora is now far more nuanced, having recently visited the S&P communities of London, Amsterdam and Paris, coupled with my intimate familiarity […]
Polonies Talmud Torah School – New York
The position of Educational Director at Shearith Israel (Manhattan, New York) includes a variety of responsibilities. The aspect that I was most intrigued about when interviewing was that of Hebrew School principal. Prior to […]
Hebrew School Curricula
I first realized how much can be accomplished at Hebrew School when I became principal of Shearith Israel’s ‘Polonies Talmud Torah School‘ five years ago. I saw that it is possible to […]
Purim and the Secret Esthers of Today
There is a custom on Purim to wear masks. The origins of this practice likely lies in the Christian celebration of Carnival, and its calendrical proximity to Purim. However, the […]
Hebrew School Education
I love being a Hebrew school principal. In 2009, I became the principal of the Hebrew School of Congregation Shearith Israel, the Polonies Talmud Torah School (I’ll write more about […]
Marranos/Conversos
As I am a rabbi at a synagogue called the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, I guess some people figured I was the ideal destination for Converso descendants, looking to reclaim […]
Shalom Says Hello 